Water heater



April28,1936. y J. ESYNNOTT 2,038,807

WATER HEATER Filed Jan. 29, 1955 Patented Apr. 28, 1936 UNITED STATES 2,088,807 WATER. HEATER John E. Synnott, Hartford, Conn., assignor to John Joseph Synnott, West Hartford, Conn.

Application January 29, 1935, Serial No. 3,935

claims.

'Ihis invention relates to apparatus for heating water and particularly to the type of water heaters which comprises' a plurality of tubes connected between a pair of end members which provide headers for the structure of the heater body; the water being supplied thru a supply pipe into one of the end members and then distributed, thru the tubes, into the opposite end member and from there out thru an outlet pipe. The total capacity of the tubes, being mnch greater than that of the supply pipe, the water flow is greatly retarded therein so that it will have an ample opportunity to be heated While passing thru the tubes.

In devices of this kind, it has heretofore been the practice to construct the heater body by means of cast iron ends to which the tubes are brazed. It has been found that the cast iron ends cannot be depended upon; for the reason that they are very apt to be porous and, in most cases, the porous condition cannot be detected until the heater has been in operation for a considerable length of time and, when a leak occurs in the heads, it is very diicult to repair them, thus making the use of cast iron heads very undesirable.

The object ofthis invention, among others, is primarily to provide for a water heater, a body which is of the lightest possible construction and in which the use o f gast iron water conduits are entirely eliminated.

Another object of this invention is to provide such a body, for a water heater, which is economical to produce and efficient to a maximum degree in its operation.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a view in central vertical section thru a water heater; the body of the heater being shown partly in elevation.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the body of the heater, in section, on line 2-2 of Figure 3.

Figure 3 is a view in central vertical section of the same.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view illustrating the manner in which the connecting tubes are secured to the headers.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view illustrating a modified form of construction for the headers.

As shown in the drawing in which like numerals denote like parts, my improved heater comprises mainly a heater body 5 which consists of similar end members or headers 6 6. Each of these headers is constructed of annular tubular rings consisting of an inner ring 'I and an outer ring 8, which are formed of tubes bent into rings and brazed at the abutting ends as at 'I-a. and B-a. A water pipe 9 is connected to each of the said headers. The said water pipe is centrally located and attached to the inner lring by the radially extending tubular sections Y I0, and the outer ring is connected to the said inner ring by the tubular sections II extending therebetween.

A number of holes I2 are vformed into each of 10 said rings. The ends of the water tubes I3 are in? serted into said holes and attached to said rings by suitable means, such as brazing. The said water tubes when attached to the rings form concentric rows I4 and I5. `15

The method of attaching the tubular rings to the water tubes is clearly shown in Figure 4 of the drawing. As shown therein, each of the holes I2 is provided with a shoulder I6 against which abut the ends of the water tubes I3. The connecting tube IIshown in this figure, extends thru a hole I1 and both the said connecting tube and the water tubes are securely united with the ring member by suitable means, such as by brazing, as indicatedV at I8.

In the construction illustrated in Figure 5 of the drawing, instead of connecting the rings by means of the tubular sections I0 and II, the said rings are connected by the tubular sections I9 which extend from the water pipe 9 past the inf 30 ner ring 1, to the outer ring 8. Said section I9 has a hole registering with a notch 2| in theV ring 'I and the end of said section extends into an opening 22 in the outer ring. The said rings and connecting sections are unitedby the brazing I8.

A preferred form of a water heater in which my improved heater body is used, is illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawing. This heater comprises a housing 23 preferably perforated to permit a 40 supply of air for the purpose of combustion. A gas burner is mounted in said housing. This burner consists of a plate 24 having a recess 25, and an opening 26. A gas plate 21 rests upon the plate 24 and is provided with gas jets 28 eX- 45 tending vertically therefrom. The recess 25 forms a gas chamber into which gas is supplied by a gas nozzle 29, of common construction, which is connected to a gas supply pipe and supplies gas into the gas chamber, formed by the recess 25, thru the opening 25. The gas will pass upwardly out of the jets 28, thru the notches 3| where it is burned and the flame therefrom is directed against the rows I4 and I5 of the water tubes. 55

" burner rby means of a set screw 32 which is The heater body may be secured to the gas threaded to the hub 33 of the plate 24.

,pipev YIl. Y

Vpacity of the tubes I3 is much greater than that A combustion retarding plate 3E is mounted at the Vtop of the heater body to retard the heat of combustion around the water tubes I3. A cap 3.5 is mounted over the said plate and extends into a iiue 36.

V It can be readily seen that in the heater illustrated in Figure 1,'the tubular structure, which comprises the heater body rests upon the gas plate 21, and that the gas jets 28 extend yupwardly be; tween the annular rings forming the lower header, and also within the inner ring. Said jets extend to a position substantially ,above the said header. A Y

In the operation of the above described heater,`

the water is supplied thru the water supply pipe IU into the lower header 8, fromthere it will flow upwardly, thru all of the tubes I3, into the upper header 6 and from there into the water outlet ItY Vwill be understood the total caof the' supply pipe Ill or outlet pipe 9. This will cause the flow of water to be greatly retarded as itrpas'ses thru the tubes I3, Athus permitting the watereto absorb the maximum amount of heat from the combustion of theV gases as the-water passes thru said tubes. When the waterw reaches the outlet pipe 9, thru the upper header ii, the

' capacity being the same, the ow will be again the same as thru the supply pipe I0.

By my invention I have provided a heater body which may be constructed entirely oftubes. All of the tubes comprising said body maybe of the same material, thus rendering it possible to form a much more satisfactory brazing connection between the various members' .thanV can now be formed where the brazing is done between a tube, of such material as brass or copper, and a header of cast iron. At the same time I have also provided a structure which is of minimum weight and of maximum efliciency.

I claim:

1. A liquid heater of the character described comprising a body composed of end members which are constructed of a plurality of annular tubular members concentrically disposed, a pipe communicating with each of said end members, and a plurality of tubular members interconnect- 'ing said end members, a burner-positioned acljacent an end member of said body, anda jet `for delivering the products of combustion thru the said end member.

2. A liquid heater of the character describedV comprising a body Vcomposed of end members which consist of a plurality of tubular annular members concentrically disposed and having annular openings therebetween, radial 'tubular members interconnecting said annular members, a'pipe communicating with said radial members, a plurality of tubes interconnecting said end members,Y a burner adjacent to an end member of vsaid body and jets on saidburner adapted to deliver the products of combustion thru said an- 1 Anular openings into said body. Y

from said burner plate and projecting thru onel of said end members into said body for deliveringV products of combustion therein. j

4. A liquid heaterof the character described comprising a body lcomposed of end members which areV constructed of a plurality of spaced Y annular tubular members 'concentrically disposed,

a pipe communicatingV with each of said Vend members, a plurality of tubular members interconnecting said endY members, a burner positioned adjacent'an end member of said body and jets on ysaid burner disposed in alignment with the spaces between said annular tubular members for delivering the products of combustion Vthru the said end member.

5. A heater of the character described comprising a body having end members constructed of a plurality of annular tubular members interconnected by radial tubes, a pipe communicating with said radial tubes on each of said members, a plurality of tubes interconnecting said end members, a burnersecu'red to said pipe, and jets on said burner constructed to deliver the products of combustion thru the said end member.

JOHN E. SYNNOTT. 

